Eileen Ramsay dies aged 101
13 Feb 2017
Yachting photographer Eileen Ramsay dies aged 101
Eileen Ramsay, the Queen of British yachting photography during the post war years, has died aged 101.
Ms Ramsay recorded the explosion in small boat sailing during the 1950s and 60s, capturing not only the boats but also sailing pioneers such as Francis Chichester, Alec Rose, Col Blondie Hasler and Eric Tabarly.
Ms Ramsey was born in Sanderstead, Surrey in 1915. She began her career in 1937 as a 22 year-old receptionist to the Reading based Royal photographer Marcus Adams.
Mr Adams was about to be called up to help record the impending conflict against Germany and rather than close down his studio, gave each of his staff a camera and told them to go out and take some interesting pictures.
“I didn’t know anything about cameras then, but my pictures were judged the best and I got the job of running the business while he was at war,” said Ms Ramsay.
“Photographic materials were very difficult to get, but I had great success taking pictures of wives and people in uniform, which taught me a lot about portrait photography.”
Cowes based yachting photographer Ken Beken recalls: “Eileen carved a name for herself with her creative skills shouting out from the pages of nautical books and magazines.
“Her style was unique and innovative and an ‘Eileen Ramsey shot’ was always easy to discern.”
Ms Ramsay gave up photography in 1971 when her partner George Spiers was killed tragically in a riding accident, but later took up watercolour painting.
She remained fit and alert right up until her 102nd year able to recall almost every photograph she had taken and provide an amusing anecdote about each subject.